Lifeboats

I want to discuss an idea that some of you may not have heard of before. Creating a lifeboat. Now we all know what a lifeboat is...it's that little boat that we run for when the big boat that we are on is in danger of sinking or some other disaster. The lifeboat is designed to keep you alive through the immediate emergency until you can be rescued or reach safety. So why, you may ask, do we need to create a lifeboat? Well, let's think about that one for a minute.

In the last couple of years we have seen a lot of economic turmoil here in the U.S. and in other countries as well. Greece is on the brink of financial collapse and Spain, France, Italy, the UK and others are not far behind. Despite what all of these well paid economists on CNN may be saying, we are on pretty shaky ground as well. Things are not as stable as they would like for us to believe. Our economy is based on a model of perpetual energy growth. We depend on increased amounts of available energy to support and increase our growth. Most of that energy comes from oil and as I hope you are aware, oil is on the decline. We have reached the peak and are now on the downhill slide. This is not good news for the economy.

Now I am not an economist nor do I work in the oil industry. I am just an ordinary person trying to piece together the information that is out there. I had hoped that we had at least another 5-10 years before we began to feel significant effects of Peak Oil but I am now beginning to think that we have much less time than that. So the need to create a lifeboat is becoming imperative.There are a lot of resources out there that can go into much more detail than I about what is happening and what we will probably be facing so I will leave that to those who are more qualified.

Everyone's lifeboat will look different based on where you live. There are basic needs that we all must meet which include water, food, and shelter. I would suggest starting there. Look around where you live and begin to think of what you would need to get you through an emergency that lasted a few days, weeks, or months. What plans do you need to put in place that will benefit you in the long term? What networks and community bonds can you strengthen or build so that you're not alone in your lifeboat? How will you and your family function if the things that we have become used to are not available or are only available in limited quantities?

I watched a film the other day of Michael Ruppert talking about Peak Oil and the coming collapse. One thing he said was to make your lifeboat where you feel most comfortable. Where you know the streets, the people, the customs, etc. You don't have to be out in the country surrounded by acres of farm land, but you do have to know your area and where your resources are. This makes a lot of sense to me and is why we are going back to Oklahoma.  It's where we are comfortable and where we are choosing to make our stand.

The ship is sinking and unfortunately many people don't see it. An analogy that I like to use is that of a coming storm. If you know a storm is coming are you going to wait until it hits to make sure you have everything you need? The smart person is going to make sure there is adequate food, batteries, flashlights, blankets, etc. If you are not prepared when you have been warned, you have no one to blame but yourself.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find a way to embed Michael Ruppert's video in this text but I have included the link so you can visit the website and watch it for yourself. He doesn't sugar coat anything, which I personally like, but his message is a little scary. So watch the video, look at your own situation, and decide how best you can prepare your own lifeboat.

http://www.cctv.org/watch-tv/programs/author-and-peak-oil-activist-michael-ruppert

On the upside

Ok, so now that you have had your world view rattled a little by the thoughts of Peak Oil, let's look at what's going on out there to help us come off of our addiction to oil. Believe it or not, not all is lost. If we truly believe that we can live in tune with nature, then it is time to walk the talk.

There are two movements that I am aware of that I will put out there as food for thought. The first is the Transition Town movement. This started as a grass roots movement in the UK where small towns began looking at what they could do to re-localize and prepare for a world with less abundant oil. It has spread beyond the borders of our cousins across the sea to become a practical and viable way of helping our communities learn how to be more self reliant and prepare for the inevitable decline. There have actually been several towns that have adopted suggestions from their local Transition Town committees into their long term city plans.

Another trend that is gaining in recognition is the use of permaculture. Permaculture is a system for designing sustainable living spaces. This system lends itself very well to the Transition Town movement because it can serve as a framework for designing our own personal living space to the entire community as a self sufficient and sustainable environment. Permaculture looks at using redundant systems, mimicking nature, and finding multiple uses for different elements. As we develop our homestead we will be putting Permaculture principles into use so hopefully we can show how this system works in action. If you have never heard of Permaculture I strongly urge you to read about it for yourself. It is a great system and fits in well with the Pagan way of thinking.

                                         *Living roof on a bus shelter*

Of course there are many other elements that fit in with living lighter on the planet and dealing with the future reality of Peak Oil. There is alternative energy, alternative building techniques, organic gardening, living with less chemicals in our lives, living roofs and many others. I simply encourage everyone to explore what's out there. It's going to take a lot of creativity and ingenuity to deal with the challenges in our future but if we start taking steps now we can have a significant impact on how that future looks.

Peak Oil

Pagans love nature and observe the turning of the Wheel of the Year with the respect due the Mother. Stating the obvious here right? Well, while we are observing and venerating nature we are burning gas in our cars to get to that Circle that is across town, we made a dish for the potluck with food that was trucked thousands of miles to get to us, and as we retire inside we are burning electricity that is likely coming from a coal fueled power plant. As much as we respect the natural world around us, we are just as dependent on oil and oil based products as everyone else. This doesn't mean that we don't try to live lighter on the planet, however, we will be in the same boat as everyone else as the effects of Peak Oil begin to be felt. If you haven't heard of Peak Oil, it really is something you should begin to educate yourself about. The story of Peak Oil goes something like this...

There once was a guy named Dr. Marion King Hubbert who was a Shell geologist. Dr. Hubbert predicted that American oil production would peak in 1970. Well, it just so happened it did. Now most people thought he was a little off his rocker at first, until folks were waiting in gas lines in the early 70's. So how did he figure out that our oil production would peak and never recover here in the U.S.? Basically, he noticed that oil fields would peak in production around 40 years after drilling began. This proved true for all oil fields. Now, fast forward to present day.

Oil seems to be in a never ending supply. Not only do our cars run on it but just about everything we use in our everyday lives comes from it. We depend on it to transport our food and clothing, we make toys, computers, appliances, lights, etc. from it. It has become such a part of our lives that we cannot imagine living without it. Remember that bit about oil fields peaking around the 40 year mark? Guess when the last major oil fields were discovered?  A little over 40 years ago. So if the last major oil fields were found over 40 years ago, how much global oil is left?

The graph that I have included will give you an idea of where most experts think we are. Granted, there are always those out there that will argue that Peak Oil is way off base, but that's what a lot of people have been saying about Global Warming and we see how well that is working out. No matter how you look at it, oil is a finite resource. It won't last forever. Just like coal and natural gas have their limits also. Weather we experience the effects of decreased global production in 100 years or in the next 5 years, it really doesn't matter. We need to begin to prepare our communities for living without oil. And as for the decrease in gas prices from a year ago? Well, look how many people began to cut back on their driving. The demand went down but I can still see the price increases when I go to the grocery store. Gas prices fluctuate and sooner or later demand will go back up and so will the price.

So what does all of this mean for us? Well, to be honest no one is really sure. It is very possible our economy will collapse. It will only take a 5% decrease in global oil production for our economy to fall apart. There could be mass layoffs, people losing their homes, food scarcity, and price hikes. Hmmm....sound familiar? It is a bleak picture and not one that most of us care to envision. The future may not look that bright right now but it may not be as bleak as what we first think. First, consider what a life without oil availability may be like, then we will look at what is being done to help cushion the decent off of oil.